Forged - [Donald Na x female oc]

Chapter 15

'Is is okay to have a feeling
That maybe there is more to this game?'

The memories of that night still hung heavy on Ray's mind, even after time had passed.

Nothing that took place was supposed to happen.
Mistake after mistake led to a night of revelations that Donald and her were forced to take part in.

Thankfully, things seemed to have cooled off by the morning, although it was obvious neither of them forgot what happened. They just chose to ignore it for the time being.

Ray thought about how she should proceed with it. They have seemed to have gotten warmer to each other, but was that really possible with Donald?

They simply weren't good for each other.

Although, unbeknownst to Ray, the other party involved seemed to think exactly the opposite. And for the first time in Donald's life, something he was chasing wasn't what a person could do for him, but rather, that person themselves.

Clearing her mind of any remaining thoughts of that embarrassing evening, Ray sat down at the small table in her favourite restaurant.

"Hey Mike"

"Hey, Ray. Hope you're hungry"

"I wouldn't be here if I weren't, you know" she joked.

"So you're only here for the food, and not for your old man?"

"Pretty much." she stated, simply.

"Don't be mean! About that, actually, there's someone else conflicted about you."

"Huh? What's that mean?"

"They said you're mean and cold to them but nice to everyone else." he faked a pouting baby's voice.

"What? Who of my acquaintances could you know?"

"He's one of my clients, actually. Does that ring any bells?"

Of course it did. There was only one person tattooed from head to toe that seemed to pop up in Ray's life more frequently by the day.

"So he asked about me?" Ray asked, somewhat shocked.

"Yeah. Though he said you got along really well this time. That's why he tipped so much. About that, why didn't you take the tip?"

"Uh, well I thought you did most of the hard work. I just cleaned up a bit so.."

Michael chuckled in response, knowing Ray was too stubborn and proud to have taken the money.

"Um, anyway, what else did he say?"

"Hm? Did I hear that right? You're curious about what he said?"

"Well, that's why I asked" she pleaded indifferent.

Mike's face lit up with joy. At the sight of it, Ray sighed in anticipation.

"Could you be, perhaps, interested in him?"

Ray wasn't exactly taken aback, but she wasn't expecting this sort of bluntness either. However, she was interested, though probably not for the reasons Michael thought.

"Wh- how'd you come to that conclusion? I just wanted to know what else he said."

"You say that as if that's something you usually do. He talked about you as if you spend a lot of time together. Do you two have a thing or something? If so, I gotta be on guard for him, you know? If he tries anything, I'll have to scare him away. You know, the whole testing the waters and intimidating shit you gotta do"

"You're getting old" she laughed. "But anyway, it's nothing of the sort. And you're not my dad" she teased further.

"Well, not really but your dad did actually ask me to.."

"No, he didn't!!"

"Yes, he did! You wanna ask him? Anyway, I don't know how he'd feel if he saw him. The boy looks like pure danger with all those tattoos and piercings."

Ray thought it was funny that despite her dad being in prison, Michael sometimes treated him like he was still a child. They had been lifelong friends, though there were many things Micheal just didn't have the heart to handle about his friend.

But, sincerely, that's what they loved about him. As scary looking as he was himself, as soft he was once you got to know him. He's always been a comfort and comedic relief figure in their lives and Ray was really glad to be able to have him around, especially now.

Without missing a beat, he followed:

"Good thing I got to know him a bit and he's not a thug. I mean, no one was expecting you to fall for a nerdy good guy but this.."

"He is a nerd. I mean, not a nerd, but..... he is... exceptionally smart"

Ray stuttered a bit, weirded out by the realisation that she was both defending and talking good about him.

"Hah. And she doesn't like him at all, she says. Anyway, he talked a lot about you."

"Don't lie to me just to get more info out of me"

"Well, if you're that good at seeing through lies, maybe I shouldn't worry. He just said you were very nice to him here, though usually you're so mean and cold!" he said, mimicking a hurt face.

"Ah, shut up already. It's not what you think."

"Right, right, make sure not to choke on your food through all those lies" he teased further.

"I'm not lying" she laughed it off. "We're just doing a project together. So we keep bumping heads here and there."

"Oh, that magnificent project for smart kids, eh? How's it going so far?"

"Well, it's not that easy, but we're for sure getting there. Donald's a good partner for it. Now stop staring at me like that."

"Huh-! I wasn't! So anyway, he's a good partner eh?"

"Can we not talk about this? I see enough of him as is. I don't need you to keep making these jokes. What's missing is dad also talking about him."

"Oh wow, I bet he'd lose it if he saw him all tatted up. Hm, I wonder-... Anyway tho, I haven't had the time to visit. How is he?"

"Uh, he's good. The usual, you know."

Ray noticed the way Michael quickly changed the subject as if to avoid finishing off his last idea. He never really stops mid-sentence, even though most of the time he should.
Also, he said he hadn't talked to her dad in a while, but she knew for a fact he'd been there last week. Was he planning something?

"Hey, are you okay?"

"Sorry, what?" she shook her head.

"You kinda zoned out a little. Something bothering you?"

Ray scratched her head and blinked a few times.
This wasn't good. Michael used to be her escape. Has she really just doubted him now for reasons she just made up?

It seemed that constantly being on her guard and trying to read the tiniest inflections in someone's behaviour was starting to get to her.

Ray told herself to stop being so strict and relax a little. She also had to remind herself she was allowed to do anything, after all, so no reason to be so uptight.

She inhaled deeply, feeling as if she'd been holding her breath until now.

"No, don't worry. I'm just a little bit tired. That's all.."

"Has he been keeping you up? Kidding! Kidding! Don't give me that fierce look!"

"My God, Mike."

She laughed, remembering he'd always been like this, and there was no reason to doubt that now.

[A/N

I like to think Michael is the definition of a goofball ]